Nothing says “winter holidays” to me like the combo of a cold day, a warm fire, a soft couch, and a book. If you’re looking for some couch material—or gift ideas for the endurance people in your life—here are the books I’ve enjoyed most this year that fit with the general themes of Sweat Science.
The Inner Clock, by Lynne Peeples
There’s lots of advice about circadian rhythms floating around the internet these days, some of it useful (be aware of light exposure before bedtime), some of it very much not (perineum sunning). This new book is the definitive take on what scientists currently know about how the circadian system works, how it’s disrupted by the ways we live now, and what we should do about it. Peeples’ reporting is exceptionally thorough (including a week-long stay in a converted missile bunker in Arkansas to experience life in the complete absence of circadian cues), and there were a lot of insights that were new to me: I had no idea, for instance, that in addition to rods and cones we have a third type of photoreceptor in our eyes…
